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HHSS question

I just got my Super Shelter all set up and spent my first night at 41 degrees in it. I woke up absolutely freezing despite having the space blanket on top of the OCF pad. Where did I go wrong? I had on a t-shirt and a pullover, sleep pants and socks with a sleeping bag over me like a top quilt.

Probably going to need some more info. Freezing is kind of a broad term. Did you have the infamous CBS (Cold Butt Syndrome) where your bum and shoulder blades get chilled? Did you have moisture problems? Were you just generally cold all over?

There are many threads on here about the supershelter. Here are just a few. It's seems to be kind of a love/hate relationship.

Probably going to need some more info. Freezing is kind of a broad term. Did you have the infamous CBS (Cold Butt Syndrome) where your bum and shoulder blades get chilled? Did you have moisture problems? Were you just generally cold all over?

There are many threads on here about the supershelter. Here are just a few. It's seems to be kind of a love/hate relationship.

Exactly: love/hate. Many successful users, but a few for whom it never takes, always a mystery to me. Usually keeps me fine to the low 30s at least without any augmentation. Like ZG said, give us some more details and we will see if we can get this worked out for you.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us....that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
Romans 8:18,21-22

OK, JTE, let's see if we can get this thing correctly diagnosed and see if there is a cure for what ails you other than spending additional big $.

Could you tell where you were cold? Not uncommonly, with and inadequate UQ but with adequate top warmth, it is possible to feel toasty or even too hot on top and have a freezing butt/back.

Were you aware of a mainly cold back /butt/shoulders? Or were you cold only on top, or maybe just aware of being cold all over, top and bottom? Answers to this will help with the diagnoses.

The first thing to commonly go wrong is an incorrectly installed Super Shelter, which is very easy to do! Here is what you are looking for:
1: bottom entry slit in undercover(UC) at the foot end of the hammock.
2:black edge on UC up near your netting
3: side holes on UC correctly and precisely lined up with side holes on your hammock. If not, you may have the UC upside down/inside out.
4: side bungee/elastic HH pull out lines through the correct openings on the sides of the UC.

For the pad:
1: wide end towards the head
2: pad is curved or shaped like a U, so that it will wrap up around your shoulders. Make sure it is not upside down. The "egg crate" goes up.
3: the side pull out loops on the pad lined up with the side opening on the UC and hammock side pull out elastics. Though I have found the foot end pad loop is often not lined up correctly and is too far towards the foot end. But just make sure the left side loop is lined up with the left side UC "hole", and that the right side loop is well down towards the foot end, either lined up with the right hole or maybe a little more towards the foot end than the right UC opening.
4: run pads head end "bridle" elastic cords through the UC head end opening and secure to HH mitten hooks. Ditto for foot end. You might find you need to add a knot to shorten these cords.
5: The hammock left side elastic cord is going through the pad left side loop and then out of the UC left side opening, and ditto for the right side. Although, after you are very familiar with the system, you can skip that part an just leave the pad and UC free so you can move them as you please. Once the pad is wrapped around your shoulders, it will not move.

6: Do you have a zip model? If not, get a friend to help you. Make sure that as you lay in the hammock, the shaped head/shoulder end of the pad and space blanket are wrapped around your shoulders and just snug against your body. If you are connected correctly, the pad should wrap around you.

What kind of sleeping bag and warmth rating? Keep in mind that using a bag like a quilt might result in significant drafts as you move in your sleep, resulting in a bag being not near as warm as rated. The solution is leaning some tricks of using a bag as quilt and keeping every thing tucked through the night, or just getting inside of the bag and into the cinched up hood. Is your head well insulated, as it would be inside a bag's hood?

Good luck!

Last edited by BillyBob58; 09-23-2012 at 15:11.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us....that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
Romans 8:18,21-22

Thanks for the tips guys. I can say that I was just cold on parts of my upper back and not all of it, I believe that it could have a lot to do with not having the bag tucked correctly. It could also be the pullover I was wearing but not really sure, I guess I'll have to try again tonight when the temps are hovering just above freezing. I'll update in the morning.

OK. I followed a few of the suggestions and stayed toasty warm last night! Instead of putting the sleeping bag over me, I got inside, and I checked the pad and mylar blanket and adjusted my rain fly lower. All of this worked together to keep me toasty at 37 degrees. Thanks to those who took the time to respond.

OK. I followed a few of the suggestions and stayed toasty warm last night! Instead of putting the sleeping bag over me, I got inside, and I checked the pad and mylar blanket and adjusted my rain fly lower. All of this worked together to keep me toasty at 37 degrees. Thanks to those who took the time to respond.

WHOOHOOOOO! I just love it when things work out/when a plan comes together! What a big difference in results, from freezing at 41 to toasty at 37! After I read your last post about " I was just cold on parts of my upper back and not all of it", I thought "OK, it is a SS adjustment mistake or a TQ draft problem". Because I remembered on one trip in the Olympic NP. I had been using my HH as a chair. When I would do this, I would pull the hammock elastics out of the pad and UC side hook ups and push it to the side. On night mid trip, I am laying there toasty warm but with a distinct very cold spot on my left shoulder blade waking me up. I finally get up wondering "what in the h*** could be wrong", and there it is: I had forgot to reconnect the hammock left side tie outs through the pad loop and UC holes, so I was only connected on the right, and it was pulling in that direction and off of my left shoulder. DUH! But hooked her up and quickly got back to warm all over!

Listen, JTE, do not forget this trick: if you have spare insulation that you are not planning on sleeping in- IOW your TQ is more than warm enough- and you are near the limits of the HHSS- throw that insulation between the pad and UC! Or if it is something really light, like a balaclava and/or extra wool socks, on top of the pad but under the space blanket. You will not believe how much warmth a zipped up fleece jacket, placed under the pad at butt/lower back, can add to this system! Try it, you'll like it!

Originally Posted by BajaHanger

BillyBob will get you squared away with the HHSS. He is such a big help..

Thanks a lot for the kind words, BH! It's what I live for!

Last edited by BillyBob58; 09-24-2012 at 17:49.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us....that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
Romans 8:18,21-22

I've been toasty to 23 degrees and chilled at 17 due to operator error (similar to what BillyBob58 did). Now is the time to start dialing in the system after a hot summer. Woke up to 44 degrees and realized I need to think cooler temps and reorganize the A box of gear.

I've been toasty to 23 degrees and chilled at 17 due to operator error (similar to what BillyBob58 did). Now is the time to start dialing in the system after a hot summer. Woke up to 44 degrees and realized I need to think cooler temps and reorganize the A box of gear.

Wow, Roche, toasty at 23F with just one pad and UC? I don't know how you can beat that. Yet another HHSS user who does better than me! Good to hear! Any condensation problems?

BTW, jte3470, did you have any condensation issues?

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us....that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
Romans 8:18,21-22